One of the most highly anticipated college basketball seasons in years will take center stage in New York City with a series of holiday tournaments, conference tournaments and the NCAA Tournament East Regional at Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center.

The newly renovated Garden will host 41 college games, starting with the 2K Sports Classic Nov. 21 and 22 featuring UConn, Boston College, Indiana and Washington, and concluding with the NIT Championship April 3. The Garden also will have the East Regional, bringing the NCAA Tournament back to MSG for the first time in 53 years.

“It really does confirm how we are the Mecca of college basketball,” MSG Sports president Dave Howard said. “The NCAA wanted to be back here.”

Of the Associated Press’ preseason Top 25, 10 teams will play at the Garden, including No. 2 Michigan State, No. 4 Duke, No. 6 Arizona and No. 8 Syracuse.

Highlights of the holiday season include the Jimmy V Classic, the annual doubleheader played in honor of the former coach and ESPN broadcaster to raise money for cancer research. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati will meet in the opener, followed by Florida against Memphis. The Preseason NIT, slated for Nov. 27 and 29 will be a hot ticket if favorites Duke, Arizona, Alabama and Rutgers get to MSG. It will be one of two chances for local fans to see Duke: The Blue Devils return to the city Dec. 19 to face UCLA.

St. John’s, predicted by many to be an NCAA Tournament team, will play seven Big East games at the Garden and meet former league rival Syracuse Dec. 15. The Johnnies also will be part of a doubleheader the day before the Super Bowl, when they take on Marquette followed by Georgetown meeting Michigan State.

“We’re really excited about St. John’s,” Howard said. “Coach [Steve] Lavin has done an awesome job getting that program back to elite status.”

Not to be outdone, the Barclays Center also will feature a series of top teams. No. 1 Kentucky and its six McDonald’s All-Americans will take on Big East sleeper Providence on Dec. 1.

The slate kicks off Friday when UConn meets Maryland. Michigan State comes to Brooklyn for the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic Nov. 22-23, along with Oklahoma, Seton Hall and Virginia Tech. Seventh-ranked Michigan will face Stanford on Dec. 21 as part of the Brooklyn Holiday Hoops Invitational, a tripleheader that also includes Manhattan and LIU taking on Buffalo and Temple, respectively.

And the Atlantic 10 Tournament will return to Brooklyn from March 12-16.